Feel free to come early and hang out/ rock out as well on B DAYS - I get to school at 7 am daily and it's a good way to start the day..

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President/Dictator of Guitar Club: Lauren Joyce

Equipment/Stuff I have in my classroom: I usually have or can bring the following things into my room for theJam with Dan:

Guitars -I own/ can bring the models you see in the pictures below!1985 Ibanez Destroyer (middle one in the picture), Gibson Les Paul (right one), and G&L Rampage Signature Jerry Cantrell (left one). I also have a few acoustic electric.​

Feel free to bring your own guitar if you want to rock out on YOUR OWN instrument.

Amplification-

Rockman X100- This was THE practice amp to have back in the day. Straight out of the metal/ rock era (1984). Built by Tom Scholtz, used by people like him Joe Satriani, Def Leppard, Boston, even Megadeth, this little guy sounds amazing clean (acoustic) or with some crunch and heavy distortion.​

Marshall JCM 2000- Good for clubs, arenas, this guy probably weighs more than me and will melt your brain if played near full volume​

Other stuff- I have cables, pedals, headphones, splitters etc, in my class, so no worries about it. I DO NOT have/ use any capos. So if you have some, bring them in, but I'm not a capo guitar master (not my style really).​

ALSO- TUNING- IMPORTANT** - I am fine rocking out with you in standard or Eb tuning (Half step down all strings). However, for my guitar's safety, I don't tune to others on the fly- so no C# Tuning. You really shouldn't do this to your guitars as well on the fly, as it will mess up the intonation, truss rod, and can do permanent damage to your instrument if you do it a lot.

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What to do/bring for jam with Dan:

​1. Song tablature: I am not a very good play by ear dude. I need to see the guitar music for some sight reading as the track plays. You should have a link to the tablature or a tab book for which to follow along/ play.

​2. Backing track: As you get better, it's good to find a nice "backing track" so that YOU are the only musician playing.

​YOUTUBE is also a great place to find good backing tracks. Just youtube the song followed by "backing track guitar" and you will sometimes find good stuff.

​Other things:

​I'd say bring a positive attitude, and be ready to make mistakes, laugh, and have fun. Even though I've been playing guitar for a while now in my life, I still make mistakes. Also, I am NOT classically trained in music theory (never really had a lesson there), so asking me how the Locrian mode works over a certain progression is something I'll scratch my head over. Maybe ask the band teacher/ AP music teacher?

Also, I grew up playing classic rock/metal, so I'll probably be better at showing you how to play stuff like that than some fingerpicked John Mayer song or something. Ask Lauren Joyce for help on some fingerpicked chords- she's killer at it!

​So basically stuff your parents probably rocked out to back in the day. I can learn some other fun stuff too though!!

FAQWelcome to the Guitar Club. Please check out below for some Q+A on the club.

·Q: Who can join Guitar Club? A: Anybody in High School- regardless of gender, style, etc.

·Q:I have never played before, have no instrument, but am interested in music, can I still show up? A: YES- I can teach anybody how to play and EVERYBODY can contribute to music/ art.

·Q: What kind of music genres/ styles are learned and played in Guitar Club? A: Everything, anything. I have played metal (thrash, classic rock, progressive, etc) for years and love it. Pop, punk rock, acoustic stuff, folk, country, and even classical all show up from time to time :)

·Q:How long do guitar club sessions last? A: Great question. On average an hour and a half. Feel free to drop in whenever, and leave when you want. At times we have even been jamming until 5:30, which happens because music is so FUN.

·Q: Will guitar club play live? A: I am planning live performances this year besides the talent show. Could range from a jam at lunch, to some venue. I have contacts in the local music scene and think it would be great to showcase YOUR talent. Any and all ability level can play.

·Q: I am not allowed to do any extracurriculars because my grades are bad, can I still do guitar club. A: Yes. Guitar is mentally challenging and people who play music actually raise their IQs, so why not learn something. If there happen to be issues, we will find a place to play. Everyone should have access to art, and if anybody has a problem with this, please feel free to email/ contact me and we can chat.

·Q: What other advice do you have for someone interested in it? A: I encourage you to come with an open mind. Feel free to MAKE MISTAKES! I still make mistakes and I have played since I was a teenager, lol. Also, be prepared for a more "open" environment compared to your classes. As an art form, I don't believe music should be censored. We talk about EVERYTHING in guitar club and drama makes for great inspiration. Most great songs are very intimate, written in blood and tears, and I will try to never discuss with anyone what we discuss in the club (but I am a teacher and required by law to report extreme things such as abuse).

·Q: Can I steal ideas/ songs/ etc. from guitar club ideas? A: Things I write/ show you, ABSOLUTELY. Please ask other members if you can use their ideas though, and I will do the same if you just happen to inspire me in something. Artists copy one another all the time, like Eizyk learning an acoustic tapping piece that was Nate's, inspired by Harmony B, picked up from another artist.

·Q:Advice for parents of students interested? A: Come on down and watch your kids play! Be supportive, especially if they are just learning. I still remember by father lecturing on me about how I would never learn anything besides Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" when I was 16, and it didn't do me any favors. Music shows your son or daughter is CREATIVE, INSPIRED, INTELLIGENT, and EXPRESSIVE. ​Bottled up emotions do worse than good, and music has saved my own life a few times as well. Embrace your children' s passions and they will appreciate you better for it. Practicing music is hard, stimulating, and challenging- people who spend countless hours lost in art in a safe place are better off doing that than doing drugs or hanging out with peers who are a bad influence.

·Q: Other things you want to know/ discuss? A: Please email me!

Speed mechanics for lead guitar- Ie- the BEST finger workout you can get.